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Observing Comet 46P

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Wow - my earlier pessimism seemed to reverse-jinx the weather . It cleared up, initially very briefly but then for much longer.

I didn't need the charts this time, just a sweep of the area revealed Wirtanen easily in my 7 x 50 binoculars and then a 80mm Skywatcher refractor. I'm currently photographing it, though I'm not sure how long it will remain clear. The comet's location will disappear behind a neighbour's wall shortly, anyway.

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I had a look for 46P through ‘my’ 10” refractor and eventually found it, using coordinates from theskylive. The coordinates from Sky Safari weren’t quite right. It is indeed very diffuse and not much more than a faint fuzzy area at the moment. I’m happy to have seen it though and look forward to following its progress over the next few weeks. I have serious doubts about it becoming naked eye though...

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Meant to add... I saw loads of meteors while out tonight, probably a dozen in total over an intermittent half hour period. Including one totally spectacular fireball that fell from around Cassiopeia down towards Lyra, exploding in fine style! That was at around 22:15 or thereabouts. They appeared to be radiating from Gemini, so early Geminids. Bodes well for their peak next week on 13th.

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I had a look for 46P through ‘my’ 10” refractor and eventually found it, using coordinates from theskylive. The coordinates from Sky Safari weren’t quite right. It is indeed very diffuse and not much more than a faint fuzzy area at the moment. I’m happy to have seen it though and look forward to following its progress over the next few weeks. I have serious doubts about it becoming naked eye though...

Another 8 days to perihelion, and then perigee a couple of days later, though Gavin and it will be rising in the sky so less atmosphere. Moon position won't help though

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Saw it last night through the 10x50s and 25x100s in 6.4 NELM skies from various dark sites. What an amazing comet this is. Currently looks like a face-on galaxy with a small, bright core with a thick, fuzzy coma and much larger than you think.

It was also tricky trying to catch it through the clouds!

Fabulous meteor display and Moon/Venus conjunction in the morning - so glad to have been aware of it all as it was a great night.

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Saw it last night through the 10x50s and 25x100s in 6.4 NELM skies from various dark sites. What an amazing comet this is. Currently looks like a face-on galaxy with a small, bright core with a thick, fuzzy coma and much larger than you think.

It was also tricky trying to catch it through the clouds!

Fabulous meteor display and Moon/Venus conjunction in the morning - so glad to have been aware of it all as it was a great night.

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I saw the comet last night. I have been checking Yoshida's comet chart. (comet@aerith.net) I've been waiting 2 weeks for clear skies. It was over by Acamar, (Eridanus n). So I grabbed my planisphere and star walked from Rigel. Sure enough. There it was. A fuzzy smudge in my 8x42 binos.

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Very clear at the moment and easily viewed in the 12x70 binos. Increased to the Apollo 15x70 binos - large and diffused - this could be quite good next week. Decided to have a better look so took out the Heritage 130P with 16mm ES68 - fantastic view.

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Very clear at the moment and easily viewed in the 12x70 binos. Increased to the Apollo 15x70 binos - large and diffused - this could be quite good next week. Decided to have a better look so took out the Heritage 130P with 16mm ES68 - fantastic view.

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Tonight is my first clear sky in ages, but 30-40mph wind gusts, so no chance imaging - well I tried but couldn't even get a focus V curve due to telescope shake, so I gave up on that and decided to look for comet 46P with my 15x70 binos instead.

First I added it to Stellarium to work out where it is, then star hopped from 2.5 mag Menkar ( α Cetus) down to 3.8 mag Azha ( η Eridanus) and back up to the line of 3 5th/6th mag stars ρ (Rho) 1,2 & 3 Eridanus and there is the big fuzz ball of comet 46P/Wirtanen. Despite being low down in the murk and locating Azha was very difficult naked eye, once I got that finding the 3 stars ρ (Rho) 1,2 & 3 Eridanus and the comet was very easy. As a very rough guide to locate Azha, I imagined a straightish line from M45 (Pleiades) through Menkar and about half as far again towars the horizon. Whilst not particularly bright Azha was the only naked eye star that I could see in that region, so once I'd found that I was good to go with the binos.

Good luck anyone else trying to finding it by star hoping tonight (7/12) - I hope the above helps.

Cheers, Geof

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The conditions tonight are not great, managed to catch Mars and Neptune earlier. With a slight haze and fast moving clouds, in 10x50s the comet was possible a bit brighter over a few days ago, even in the poorer seeing. In the telescope it's among a 9 mag. star so it looks like it has a very bright nucleus.

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That caught me out too. I tried various combos of C/, P/, with/without 2018 none of which worked, but after Googling, decided that it's named 46P/Wirtanen, so tried that and it worked.... , so hopefully it will for you too